The invention relates to a liquid separator for the separation of liquid from gases carrying liquid components, including a housing with at least three openings. The openings being formed by a tubular inlet opening and two tubular outlet openings which are connected with one another to carry a flow. At least one separating device is disposed in the direction of flow between the inlet and the outlet openings, and substantially only separated liquid is able to flow through one of the outlet openings and substantially only gas freed of liquid is able to flow through the other outlet opening.
Liquid separators are generally known, and are used, for example, as external oil separators in the field of internal combustion engines. The gases, enriched with liquid components, pass through an inlet opening into the liquid separator and pass at least through one separating means, which can consist, for example, of a wire wool or wire mesh or a disk of nonwoven material. A large part of the liquid components are then deposited, on the basis of their inertia, onto an impact wall that follows in the direction of flow, while the separated fluid is returned through one of the outlet openings into a liquid reservoir, and the gas freed of the fluid is discharged through the other outlet opening. It is to be noted, however, that the degrees of separation are not very satisfactory, and the previously known oil separators tend to ice up at low ambient temperatures of less than -20.degree. C. Their practical properties therefore are not very satisfactory.